MTA receives first reimbursement for Sandy-related repairs

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has received more than $886 million in federal aid to help cover costs associated with repairs from Superstorm Sandy, primarily in the Montague, Greenpoint and Steinway subway tunnels, and to make New York's transportation system more resilient to any future storms.

This is the first major reimbursement to the MTA for repairs it has undertaken post-Sandy. According to statements from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), the majority of the funds will be allocated to repairs in the Montague, Greepoint and Steinway tunnels, an estimated $103.5 million will fund projects along Metro-North to guard against high water levels in future storms, including track hardening and signal and power system upgrades and $84.2 million will be used on various resiliency projects throughout the MTA system.

"The subway is New York City's beating heart, and Sandy's floodwaters left severe long-term damage on the system," said Sen. Schumer. "Even though most parts of the subway got back up and running after the storm quicker than anyone ever imagined, there are still major repairs underway. This funding will be critical in restoring our system to full strength, moving New Yorkers through the city once again, and preventing such a shutdown from happening in the future."

This funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration's Emergency Relief program, which received $10.9 billion under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act. MTA was allocated $3.79 billion in total Sandy-relief funds.

"This is a welcome and much-needed investment in New York's transportation infrastructure that will ensure Metro-North is better prepared for future storms," said Rep. Lowey. "Federal aid has been essential in not only helping communities, businesses and homeowners recover and rebuild, but in ensuring that our region is better prepared to withstand the impact of future disasters."

Hurricane Sandy floodwaters inundated the three major East River subway tunnels – Montague, Greenpoint and Steinway – with thousands of gallons of water, and forced major re-routes of subway lines in the weeks following the storm. In the case of the Montague tunnel, it is currently undergoing significant repairs that have forced the MTA to take the tunnel out of service for a total of 14 months, disrupting R-train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan.